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ChaoticCoyote
at Fri Oct 14 18:56:08 2005 [ Email Message ] [ Show All Posts by ChaoticCoyote ]
From The Times of India
Activists seize 5 spiny-tailed lizardsAdd to Clippings
VIJAY SINGH
TIMES NEWS NETWORK[ THURSDAY, OCTOBER 13, 2005 01:57:30 AM ]
MUMBAI: Myth and legend are the real killers of these spiny-tailed lizards that are poached from forests for their oil, which is mistakenly assumed to contain 'magical powers'.
Protected under schedule-2 of the Wildlife Protection Act of 1972, five such spiny-tailed lizards (locally known as 'sanda') were recently seized in Bhandup by the wildlife authorities. However, the person peddling the oil extracted from these lizards managed to flee from the spot after animal activists photographed him selling his products.
Nearly 40 dead 'sandas' were also recovered along with five live ones. "We had prior information that this person was trying to sell 'sanda oil' to the public near Jain Mandir in Bhandup (West) by saying that it is an aphrodisiac or desi viagra and can also cure painful joints," said animal activist Sunish Subramanian of Plant & Animals Welfare Society (PAWS).
However, as the PAWS activists seized the oil jars and lizards, the peddlar managed to escape. Of the five spiny-tailed lizards handed over to officials at Sanjay Gandhi National Park, one more succumbed due to injuries inflicted by the poachers.
The backbone of these lizards is deliberately broken so that they do not run away. Ultimately, they are boiled in water to extract its oil," said Subramanian. The SGNP veterinarian, Dr Kishore Batwe, told TOI that the scientific name of the spiny-tailed lizard is 'Uromastyx hardwickii' and they are found in the forests of India and Pakistan.
"They look like monitor lizards (ghorpad) which is also hunted due to superstitious beliefs," said Dr Batwe. Inspector Sunil Ranade of the Bombay Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (BSPCA) said that nearly 15 monitor lizards and spiny-tailed lizards have been seized in the last two years.
"However, due to growing awareness, the poachers normally avoid coming to Mumbai these days," said Ranade. He added that while monitor lizards can grow up to four feet in length, the sandas are smaller and reach a length of 2-3 feet.
"It's an age-old myth that their body oil can cure joint or muscular illnesses or even improve sexual prowess. Some also kill them for its meat," said Ranade. If you see any animal in distress call the BSPCA on 24137518 / 24135434 and PAWS on 9820678276 / 25968314.
source: The Times of India
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Scott Robert Ladd
1.0.0 Iguana (Rex)
1.1.0 African Giant Plated Lizard (Clyde, Cassie)
1.0.1 Uro mali (Wizard, Dizzy)
0.1.0 Corn Snake (Amber)
0.1.0 Red-Eared Sliders (Emerald)
0.0.1 Musk Turtle (Sausage)
1.1.0 Parakeet (Thor, Zeus)
1.4.0 Homo sapiens (Scott, Maria, Elora, Becky, Tessa)
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 U. hardwickis killed for "magic oil" in India - ChaoticCoyote, Fri Oct 14 18:56:08 2005
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